Drive for green-pea viners



F. HAMACHEK. DRIVE FOR GREEN PEA VINERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1920.

EA-BQ 786,, Patented oat. 3, 1922. v 9 3 S HEETS-S HEET 1.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 3, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. HAIVIACHEK.

INVENTOR 4M DRIVE FOR GREEN PEA VINERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1920.

I IIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIF IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHI WI TN ESSES F. HAMACHEK.

DRIVE FOR GREEN PEA VlNERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. I5, 1920.

1A30fi'86, Patented 00h 3,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOF? ATTOQNEY Patent d @ctu 3, 19232- FE-ANK HAMACHEK. OF KEWA'UNEE, WISCONSIN.

DRIVE FOR GREEN-PEA VINERS.

Application filed November 15, 1920.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK HAMACHEK, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Kewaunee, Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drives for GreeIrPea Viners, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. which are a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a means for giving notice to the parties feedinga pea viner when the vines are being fed too fast so that they cause an over-running of the separating drum.

The hulling heaters of a machine of this character rotate in the same direction as the separating drum but at a higher speed and travel so close to the lifting ribs of the separating orum that when the vines are fed too fast or in large tangled bundles they tend to form a tie between them that causes the drum to accelerate or overrun its driviiip'. connection.

In the present invention this tendency is 5 utilized to cause an alarm that will notify the men that the machine is being over-fed so that they may stop feeding for a while until the machine is again normal. This obviates the choking of the machine that would necessitate a stop.

Another object of the invention is to separate the driving; mechanism for the drum from the drive for auxiliary parts and thereby permit the drum drive to be unclutched so that the drum may be turned for cleaning without the necessity for turning the aux iliary mechanisn'is.

tnother ol'iject of the invention is to provide for driving; the inclined separator apron by means of a chain from the drum driving countershaft making use of a yielding idler sprocket and avoiding the necessity for a cross chain in what is known as a right hand machine.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the drive for green pea viners as herein claimed and all equivalents.

lleferring to the accompanying drawings in. which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in different views:

lli l is an end view of a green pea viner having! a drive constructed in accordance with this inventioin the pulley and. end

5 countershaft and other end parts having been removed;

Serial No. 4624,2913.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof with such end parts in place;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the over-feed alarm clutch;

Fig. 4; is a sectional view thereof on the plane of line 44. of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the adjustable base for the yielding idler pulley bracket of the separatingapron drive;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the end countershaft and parts driven therefrom;

Fig. 7 is adetail view of a portion of Fig. 2 showing the conveyer, screen and chafl'er in longitudinal section.

In these drawings 10 indicates a frame supporting a horizontal rotating separating drum 1.1. by means of supporting rollers 12 in the usual manner. A beater drum 13 carrying heaters 14 is rotatably mounted within the drum, being carried on a shaft 1.5 journaled in bearings 16 on the frame and carrying the belt pulley 17 by means of which the entire machine is driven from an engine or the like.

The drum 11 is provided with sprocket teeth 18 at each end and is driven by chains 19 passing therearound and engaging said sprocket teeth and also passing around sprocket wheels 20 on drum driving countershaft 21. journaled on the top of the frame and extending longitudinally thereof. This countershaft 21 is driven from shaft 15 by having a clutch sprocket 22 connected by a chain 23 with a sprocket on said shaft 15.

In the operation of the viner the vines are fed into one end of the drum where they are lifted by means of the usual lifting ribs 25 and dropped upon the more rapidly moving heaters 14- to have the pods opened by the impact of the heaters. lllheliberated peas pass through the perforations of the drum wall and fall on an inclined separating apron 26 which separates the chaff from the peas by carrying it upwardly while the peas roll downwardly thereon. At the other end of the drum the tailings are discharged over an agitator 27 which thoroughly shakes the vines to permit any loose peas contained in them to fall. Both the vines and the peas are dropped onto an inclined conveyor 28, the vines to be carried upwardly thereby and stacked and the peas to pass through a screen 28 the lower end of the conveyor and fall upon an inclined chafler 529 where they are freed from the chaff in the same manner as the peas on the separating apron 26.

It has been customary to drive these various auxiliary moving parts from the drum countershaft 21 making use of another countershaft at right angles thereto and having a quarter twist belt connecting them. This manner of driving the auxiliary parts was troublesome and made it difficult for the drum to be turned by hand when cleaning as being connected together they were re quired to be turned with the drum.

During the cleaning, which is frequently performed with a machine of this character, it is only necessary or des'sable that the drum and the separating apron should be moved to present their surfaces successively in position to be cleaned and consequently in the present invention 1 have confined the duty of the countershaft 21 to the driving of the drum and. the separating apron. In addition to the drum-driving connection previously explained the countershaft 21 has a sprocket wheel connected by a chain 31 with an idle sprocket 32 mounted on a yielding bracket 38. Between the idler sprocket 32 and sprocket 30 the chain passes into engagement with a large sprocket wheel 34: of the separating apron 26. With left hand machines the drum and heaters are rotated in the same direction shown by the arrows in Fig. 1, but as the apron is placed on the opposite incline the chain drive from countershaft 21 to sprocket wheel 8% of the separating apron is direct. However the present machine is the right hand machine and consequently the direct connection with the sprocket wheel 34 would cause itto travel in the wrong direction and the presence of the idler makes correction without the necessity for a cross chain drive with its objectionable wear. Furthermore, the idler sprocket 32 is yieldingly mounted to constitute a chain tightener or compensator for the variations in the chain links. The yield- :ing bracket 33 pivotally mounted bet eon ears 34 of a base plate 235 which is vertically adjustable on the frame by having bolts 36 pass through elongated slots 37 of the base plate. A spring seat at the upper end of the base plate has a limiting bolt 38 passing through it and through a spring seat on the end of the bracket 33, while a coil spring 39 surrounds said bolt and gives spring pressure to the bracket to hold the idler pulley 32 yieldingly but with pressure against the chain This yielding idler sprocket furthermore permits of the chain being readily disengaged from the sprocket wheel 84: if it is desired to turn the drum. without turning the apron or vice-versa.

The other auxiliary moving parts are driven from the shaft 15 instead of from the countershaft 21 so that the clutch sprocket 22 makes the drive for the drum entirely independent thereof. At the end of shaft 1.5 is a bevel pinion 40 meshing with a bevel gear 41 on a countershaft 42 which is journaled in bearings across the rear or discharge end of the machine. Sprocket 4-3 on this countershaft is connected by a chain 44: with a sprocket 45 for driving the elevating conveyor 28, and another sprocket 46 on said countershaft is connected by a chain 47 with a sprocket 4-78 on a cross shaft 49 which drives the agitator 27 and the chalfer 29 by means of chains 50 and 51 respectively.

The crutch sprocket 22. b means of which the drum is given its independent drive, is utilized as the means above referred to for giving an alarm or signal in the event of an over-running of the drum due to overfeeding. Hut-h an means may consist of a clutch construction having play whereby a clash or knock is produced each tim the play is taken up by the overriding of the drum. il he'signal will. repeat itself a series of knocks as long as the overfed condition continues, giving warning to the feeders who will then discontinue the feeding operation until the normal conditions are restored. This alarm may also be produced by otl er means operated by the overriding of the drum, and here shown consists of a bell 52 having a spring retracted hammer mounted on the sprocket wneel 22 which is loose on the shaft 21. A projection from the hammer 53 extends in the path of one of the arms of a clutch spider 54. keyed or splined on the shaft so as to be struck thereby to sound. the bell each time the drum overrides its driving sprocket. Tie arms of the spider clutch o lare preferably provided with oppositely beveled jaw mem rs to engage corresponding oppositely beveled jaw members 56 on the spokes of the sprockwheel 22, considerable play being provided for each clutch jaw between the cooperating jaws of the sprocket. The position of the members shown in Fig. 3 is their normal position when the shaft 2i and its connected drum are being driven by the sprocket wheel 22 in the direction of the arrow. Should. the vines be fed to the drum in such quantities as to cause it to override by tying it to the heaters, the clutch spider will at vance so that each aw thereof takes up the play between it and the next aw of the sprocket wheel and when these jaws engage a sound will be produced thereby or by the bell to give the warning.

The inclined jaw faces tend to hold the clutch spider and sprocket wheel together but when the machine is not in operation and the clutch arms are positioned midway be tween the spokes of the sprocket wheel the clutch spider, because ofits spline connection with the shaft, may be easily moved away from the sprocket wheel so as to avoid engagement therewith and thus unclutch the driving connection to permit the drum to be turned by hand when changing sieves or cleaning the drum or heaters without the necessity for turning the shaft 15 and the other parts driven therefrom.

lt will be understood that the alarm produced by the present construction not only avoids the delay occasioned by overfeeding to the point of choking the machine but it results in a saving of peas which would ordinarily be lost as the result of inefficient operation of the machine during its overfed condition.

an important feature of this invention is the ability of the lifting ribs to yield to pressure in case vines are caught between them and the heaters, thus avoiding the subjecting ol the vines to a pressure which might have a tendency to crush and injure the peas. This yielding is permitted by reason of the play provided for in the clutch and it is obvious that this play may be made through a greater angle if desired to increase the era tent of yielding movement of the ribs. ln-

stead of the clutch having four jaw mem-- bers it may be provided with only two or even one, and thus increase the amount of play between its two extreme clutch engagements. This will not interfere with the other function of the clutch of giving an alarm when the machine is overied, but it will allow ot a greater yield to avoid the damage of peas. It is also obvious that the play may be provided for in any other suit able manner.

The yielding of the lifting ribs to avoid crushing the peas is of particular importance in saving the peas when the vines are caught on the boaters and are thrown violently against the ribs. Because of the yielding of the ribs under these circumstances the blow to which the vines are subjected is not as harsh and as damaging to the peas as would be the case if the speed ratio between the two drums remained fixed.

llbviously the invention is not limited to the details oi? construction shown as various changes can. be made therein.

llhat claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. in over'teed alarm for green pea viners and the like having a rotating separating drum and. faster moving beaters, consisting o! a driving connection for the drum includinc; coupling means having lost motion and capable of producing a sound when the lost motion is taken up by the acceleration or over ling ot the drum on overieeding.

i1.. lu a green pea viner or the like, a heater drum, a separating drum surroimding the beater drum. and means for driving the separating drum at a slower speed and including cooperating parts capable of lost motion "ill adapted to produce a signal when such a lost motion is taken up by an acceleration or orerrunning oi" the drum as the result of ovcrlecdlng.

3. In a green pea viner or the like, a suitably driven beater shaft, a revolving separating drum surrounding the shaft, a counter-shaft having driving connection with the separating drum. and a driving connection between thcbeater shaft and the countershait incl riding cooperating clutch members having jaws engaging each other with play to permit the acceleration of the separating drum when over-l ed to take up the lost mo tion between the jaws and cause them to strike each other to produce an alarm.

4%. ln a green pea viner or the like. a lo tating beater drum, a slower rotating separatinn' drum surrounding it. a countershaft havii 7 driving connection with the separating drum, a sprocket wheel loosely mounted on the countershai't and having chain connection with the beater drum. a clutch member splined on the counter-shaft. and bevel jaws on tl e clutch member and the sprocket wheel en ging each other with play and adapted to give an alarm when the separating drum is exerted and. exceeds the speed of its driving connection.

5. In a green pea viner or the like. a rotating beater drum, a slower rotating separating drum surrounding it, a countersha'ft having driving connection with the separating drum, a sprocket wheel loosely mounted on the countershatt and having chain connection with the beater drum, a clutch member splined on the countershatt, bevel jaws on the clutch member and sprocket wheel cngag each other with play. and a bell on the sprocket wheel engaged by the clutch member when the separating drum overrides its driving connection as the result of overfeeding.

6. In a green pea viner, a rotating beater drum, a slower rotating separating drum surroimding it. a countershait having driving connection with the separating drum a sprocket wheel loosely mounted on the countcrshaftt and having a chain com'iectiou with the beater drum. and a clutch on the countershai t having jaws engaging the sprocket wheel with play for causing an alarm when the separating drun'i overrides its driving connection as the result of being overfech said clutch being adapted to be disconnected for permitting the separating drum to be turned independently of the beater drum.

7. In a green pea viner, a rotating beater drum, a slower rotating separating drum surrounding it, a countershaft having drivinn; connection with the separating drum, and a. clutch controlled driving connection between the countershaft and the beater drum for permitting the separating drum to be turned independently of the beater drum. n

8. ln a green pea vinen a rotating beater drum, a slower rotating separating drum surroumjling it and a clutch controlled driving connection between the beater drum and the separating drum whereby the separating drum may be disconnected and turned by hand without the necessity for turning the beater drum.

9. In a green pea viner or the like, a r tating aeater drum, a slower rotating separating drum surrounding it, auxiliary mechanism driven from the heater drum, and a clutch controlled driving connection from the beater drum to the separating drum whereby the separating drum may be disconnected and turned by hand independent of the heater drum and the auxiliary mechanisin.

10. in a green pea viner or the like a rotating beater drum, a separating drum surrounding it, a countershatt having driving connection with the separating drum, a driving connection between the beater drum and the countershaft, an inclined separating apron beneath the separating drum and provided with a driving sprocket, an idle sprocket, a sprocket on the countershaft, and a chain passing around the sprocket on the counters-haft and the idle sprocket and engaging the driving sprocket of the inclined separating apron.

11. In a green pea viner, a heater drum, a separating drum surrounding it, a counter shaft having driving connection with the separating drum, a driving connection between the beater drum and the countershait, a sprocket on the countershaft, an adjustably mounted base plate, a bracket pivotally mounted thereon, a spring bearing on the bracket, a sprocket wheel mounted on the bracket, a chain connecting said sprocket wheel with the sprocket on the countershatt, and an inclined separating apron beneath the separating drum having a driving sprocket engaging said chain.

12. In a green pea viner, a heater druin, a separating drain surrounding it, a countershaft having driving connection with the separating drum, a driving connection between the beater drum and the countersha'ft, a cross conntershatt at the end 01"". the viner having bevel gear connection with the shaft of the beater drum, and auxiliary means such as a tailings crmveyer, an agitator and a chatter driven by said cross countershatt.

13. In a green pea viner or the like, a heater druin, a separating drum surrounding the beater drum, and means for driving the separating drum at a slower speed and permitting the lifting ribs thereof to yield in the direction of rotation.

14?. In a green pea viner or the like, a beater drum, a separating drnin surrounding the beater druni, means for driving both drums in the same direction, and means tt'or permitting the lifting ribs of the separating drum to yield in the direction of rotation comprising a ioosc connection in the driving means thereof allowing for play.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

FRANK HAMACl-IEIL 

